1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet recording head that discharges liquid such as ink to various media to perform recording.
2. Description of the Related Art
For an ink jet recording system, there are a method of using an electrothermal conversion element (heater) and a method of using a piezoelectric element as discharge energy generation elements used for discharging liquid droplets.
The ink jet recording head that performs recording by using such a system generally includes a plurality of discharge ports arranged in a row and pressure chambers communicated with the respective discharge ports. Each pressure chamber includes a discharge energy generation element, and a liquid flow path is connected to the pressure chamber to supply liquid. Liquid is supplied from a common liquid chamber through the liquid flow path.
In the ink jet recording head thus configured, when discharge energy is generated to discharge liquid from a certain discharge port, the energy generates pressure waves not only in a discharge direction but also toward the common liquid chamber through the liquid flow path. The pressure wave generated toward the common liquid chamber is transmitted to an adjacent nozzle to vibrate a liquid surface, causing fluctuation of a discharge amount of ink or unstable discharging.
Recently in particular, a higher density of nozzles, simultaneous driving of the plurality of nozzles for an image of a high recording density, and a higher speed of a recording operation have led to a shorter discharging time interval between adjacent nozzles, making an influence of the pressure wave more conspicuous. Herein, such fluid interaction between the adjacent nozzles is referred to as crosstalk.
Generally, for the nozzles of the ink jet recording head, a time-division drive system is employed. In the system, the nozzles are divided into a predetermined number of groups, in which the nozzles are continuous in position. In the group, the divided nozzles are further divided into drive divisions for respective drive timings, and the time-division drive system drives the discharge energy generation elements in the nozzles at different timings for each drive division (drive block). Employing this drive system enables shifting in drive timing between the adjacent nozzles, and thus crosstalk can be reduced.
There has recently been a request for a higher printing speed of an ink jet recording apparatus. Thus, when drive timings are greatly shifted between the adjacent nozzles to reduce crosstalk, achievement of the higher printing speed is hindered. On the other hand, when an interval in drive timing is set short between the adjacent nozzles to achieve the higher printing speed, a reduction in crosstalk is insufficient, thus affecting printing.
To deal with this problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-57890 discusses a method of reducing an influence of crosstalk by appropriately setting resistance of a liquid flow path.
However, the method discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-57890 reduces crosstalk by increasing fluid resistance of a specific nozzle. It consequently takes time to resupply ink, hindering achievement of a higher printing speed.